Seeing Color or Not Seeing Color. . .

ricky wording. Does it refer to what our eyes actually see ...or what our mind does with what our eyes see?

Sharon and I are headed on a car trip through Pennsylvania this weekend; and we are hoping to see the majestic colors of changing leaves in the mountains I grew up near during my youthful years in the northwest region of Pennsylvania. The Allegheny Mountains can show some spectacular colors this time of year...and we hope to time it "just right" on this car trip.

I am choosing to talk about the colors Sharon and I may, or may not, see this year...as the seasons change and the tree leaves change their color. Will we see brilliant colors that inspire awe in us as we view how God's creations change colors?

Having grown up around such wonderful fall colors and seeing the change year after year after year ...well, I can admit that I began to take this annual process for granted. There were many years that my mind did not process into an appreciation those wonderful colors that my eyes were actually seeing. The colors were there; but, I didn't really "see" them for what they were. I wonder if I have done this with People of Color as well. The call for racial equality in our country has me rethinking how I see and interact with people different than me. As a Christian, I need to see more than the colors of foliage, I need to see People of Color as well.

I believe to not "see" the color in those leaves and thus not acknowledge the wonderfulness of God's creation is a bad thing. Similarly, I need to see people's skin color and ensure I treat people equally without regard to color. We are all part of God's creation. We are all equally wonderful.

I am hoping we can soon get to the point where we all see the changing colors of the leaves each fall and see the color of someone's skin as something that is appreciated.

Blessings to all,

Jim Hubbard